Officials consider options after defeat of sales tax

Commissioners imposed the tax earlier this year.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Trumbull County commissioners say the county's finances will support departments through year's end, but tough decisions may be required next year after voters rejected the half-percent sales tax.
Commissioners imposed that tax earlier this year; it runs through March. Voters were asked to indefinitely continue the tax, which generates $8 million a year. More than 77 percent of them said no.
"I'm more disappointed than surprised," Commissioner Joseph J. Angelo Jr. said.
He said commissioners have to determine what their options are. Angelo suggested that a half-percent sales tax for the sheriff's department may be a possibility, but he added that hasn't been discussed with the other commissioners.
Commissioner James Tsagaris said the board may ask for recommendations from a volunteer panel that previously reviewed county finances.
Many other local tax issues passed, including fire protection levies in Bazetta, Braceville, Bloomfield and Johnston, but a 1-mill police levy in Braceville narrowly lost.
State tax's role
Both Angelo and Tsagaris think a state sales tax imposed earlier this year to alleviate the state's fiscal problems played a role in the local sales-tax loss.
"I think a lot of people are anti-Governor [Bob] Taft right now," Angelo said.
Voters weren't given an option about the state sales-tax increase, so they voted against the county sales tax, where they could make their voice heard, he said.
Both Tsagaris and Angelo acknowledged that an ongoing probe of the county's purchasing practices that's already resulted in an indictment of the county's former maintenance director played a role.
"It didn't help," Angelo said.
Tony Delmont, whom commissioners fired last week from the maintenance director post he occupied for 27 years, has pleaded innocent to bribery, money laundering and theft in office.
County prosecutors have contended that Delmont accepted bribes, vacations and gifts in return for allowing vendors to overcharge and oversell goods to Trumbull County.
denise.dick@vindy.com